Afterthought by M J Marlow (red white royal blue .txt) 📖

precisely because of your endless threats,” Oscar replied coldly, “that I made that move.” He looked at Evangeline. “I am glad they arrived before any real damage was done, Princess.” “My mother?” Evangeline demanded as he looked at Elinor. “Where is she?” “Up on the roof,” Elinor said nastily. “I told her that the shadow people were coming for her and she would only be safe if she flew away.” She saw men running. “If you’re very quick, you might actually get to her before she jumps.” “Get this bitch out of here,” Silvano snapped as Evangeline burst into tears. He held her close. “Hush now, little one. My men will get her down for you. We will have the best doctors work to undo the damage this witch and her mentor did to your Mama’s mind.” Evangeline struggled out of his arms and stumbled to the elevator. He followed her and they went up to the top floor and out through the roof access. Aileen was in a corner, her eyes wild with terror. She was holding the men off with a pipe wrench a maintenance worker had left on the roof. Evangeline waved them off and walked towards her mother slowly, her hands out. “Mama,” she said gently and Aileen looked at her. “It’s all right now. The shadow men are gone. We made them leave.” “They don’t leave,” Aileen shook her head. “They are always waiting…” “For fussy children to cry,” Evangeline finished for her. She had Aileen’s attention now and she knew how to end this. “But they are sent away by children who… “Act like angels,” Aileen provided the ending. She looked at Evangeline. “You are my angel child!” she sighed and dropped the wrench. “You sent them away for me?” “Yes, I did,” Evangeline nodded. “Because our family wants you to come home. We miss you terribly.” She held her hand out and took a step forward. “Let me take you home, Mama.” Aileen came to Evangeline and the girl took her mother in her arms and held her as she sobbed. How long had she been trapped in this nightmare world? She felt Silvano’s arms around her and she burst into tears. How could anyone be so cruel as to steal a person’s mind and leave them locked in nightmare? Aileen was alive and hopefully her mind would be retrieved for her. And if she was alive, did that mean her uncle Adam was alive as well? “That witch has a lot to answer for, Uncle,” Evangeline said wearily as he picked Aileen up in his arms and they left the roof. She could feel her eyelids drooping and so she missed the look on that passed between her uncle and her mother. He carried Aileen down to the car and strapped her in the front seat. Evangeline got in back and began to drift off. He drove a few miles and then pulled off the road. Evangeline was brought awake by the sound of duct tape being pulled off a roll. She opened her eyes to see her mother wrapping her in tape. “What are you doing?” she cried as he continued until she was cocooned in the tape. “Mama…” Aileen put tape over her mouth to still her cries and Silvano removed her earrings. He dropped them out the window, and then pulled something out of the glove compartment. He slid the hood over her head so she could not see. Evangeline tried to pull free but the tape held her securely. This was not her uncle, her mind screamed. This was someone wearing Silvano’s face. She was being abducted again! She felt a hand move up under her skirt and she struggled to get free. “Don’t fight it, precious,” Edward Landry’s voice sounded in her ear. “You are mine for the moment and I mean to enjoy my toy for a while before I let you go home.” He pushed her on her back and she felt him removing her underwear. She kicked out at him but he only laughed. She felt his hand between her legs and then his fingers stroking her. Her mind went blank. This was not right! He couldn’t just force himself on her like this. It was wrong! But he didn’t seem to care what was right or wrong. His fingers continued to stroke her and she began to feel things she didn’t understand. Her entire body began to pulse and ache in response to what he was doing to her. And then she heard him unzip his trousers. He was going to rape her! Here in this car while she was completely helpless to stop him. She struggled as well as she could but it did nothing. Then he zipped up his trousers and laughed. “I wish we had time for play, Princess,” Edward said as he taped her ankles and yanked her out of the car; “but we have to get going before they think to look for your mother and you.” She heard the jangle of keys as he hefted her over his shoulder and then the trunk lid being opened. He dumped her inside and he removed the hood a moment and slipped an oxygen mask over her face. Then he put the hood back on. “Sleep now, little one,” her mother smiled down at her gently as she lowered the lid. “When you awaken, we will be in a place where we can talk in private.” Emilio looked around for Silvano and Aileen and Evangeline and they were nowhere in sight. They had been right behind him; he was certain of it. He sent his men through to sweep the place and they came back to tell him that the prince and princess were gone. He shrugged. Perhaps Silvano had decided to take Evangeline home and merely forgotten to tell anyone. It was not uncommon for the man to be that thoughtless when he was focused on something important. He was convinced that this was what had happened until a car drove up and Silvano got out from behind the wheel. “What do you mean I was here earlier?” the prince looked at Emilio as if he had lost his mind. “I’ve been buying ponies for the orphanage. I only just heard about this an hour ago, Emilio.” He went pale. “Someone has taken her!” “We have the woman and her accomplices,” Emilio frowned. He strode up to a squad car and yanked Elinor out. “Where is she, woman? Who has taken the princess?” “Did you really think you could outwit him?” Elinor laughed at the pair. “He has wanted the girl since he first laid eyes on her. By the time you figure out where he is going, she will be his.” “Tell us where he is taking her, woman,” Emilio roared as he clamped his hands around Elinor’s throat. “Ask Prince Roza,” Elinor choked out. “He knows. He was the one who chose the place when he called the authorities down on my brother!” Emilio shoved her back in the car and slammed the door. He left the clean up to his men and the authorities and followed Silvano to the car. One of the patients jumped in as they took off and they turned to see someone who could only be a Sterling. There was a chill in his cornflower blue eyes and his sandy hair was cut to stubble, but there was no mistaking his features. “Adam Sterling?” “That’s what my parents named me,” the man nodded. “It took you long enough to find us,” he frowned at them. “How could you let them get their hands on that child? I left her with my family so they wouldn’t go after her.” “My brother wanted his daughter,” Silvano hissed at the man. Adam turned his cold blue eyes on him and he felt chilled. “You had no right to keep her from him.” “She was not safe with him,” Adam replied; “not after he took down Landry. He made her a target the moment he came back into her life. Landry’s bitch sister followed him right to the girl.” “This argument gets us nowhere,” Emilio broke in as Silvano started to defend his brother again. “Landry has the princess. We want her back.” He looked at them both. “So start thinking, gentlemen. Where would he take her?” Evangeline was tired of being helpless. She had woken up to darkness and panicked a moment before she remembered her situation. She was locked in a trunk being driven somewhere by a madman her father had helped put in prison. She was not going to let him force her. She would see him dead first! She felt the car slowing and then the squeal of the brakes. A minute later, the trunk was opened and she was yanked out and carried off over his shoulder as she struggled to make him let her go. “You really need to stop fighting me, precious,” he said as he held her in place. She heard a door being slid aside and they stepped into a place that was cool. Air conditioning? The door slammed shut and he was carrying her into a large space. She could hear his footsteps echoing as he walked. Then he put her down on something hard and cold. She heard him walk away and she rolled off whatever he had put her on and cried out in pain as she fell. She struggled to her feet and her mother caught her as she tried to run. “Oh no, baby,” Aileen laughed as she led Evangeline back; “you are not going anywhere.” Evangeline heard the sound of scissors opening and closing. “Not when the fun is just about to begin.” He began cutting the tape off and her clothing went with it. He grabbed her wrist as she took a swing at him and she felt something cold on it. He was shackling her down, her mind told her. Evangeline took another swipe at him and he just laughed and shackled her other wrist so that her arms were held up above her head. She pulled on the shackles and heard the clatter of chain. She shuddered as he ran his hand along her arms and continued down her body. He cut her bra off and she shivered as the cold air hit her naked torso. He did not cut off her skirt, however; and he put her underwear back on her as she kicked out at him and tried to connect with his face or body. “It is as exquisite as you are, pretty one,” Edward smiled as he traced the mark tattoo he had put on her. He showed it to her in the mirror. “As an artist, I am certain you can appreciate my work.” “It is a foul reminder of your brutality and cruelty,” Evangeline spat. “I mean to have it removed at the first opportunity!” “Why would you do such a hateful thing?” Edward laughed. “You do not appreciate being my canvas, pretty child?” Evangeline shook her head and he laughed and kissed her. “That’s just too bad. I want the world to know that you belong to me!” “I do not!” Evangeline hissed at him. “I brought you here so we could go over the rules of your new status as my property, Princess,” Edward said to her coldly. “Be silent and listen to me.” He let her go roughly. “If you try to leave Paris or you refuse to come to me, I will slit the throat of one of your little orphans and dump them in your bed. Is that clear enough for you?” He yanked her up and she sobbed as her arms were pulled back. “You belong to me now, Princess. You will do as I command.” “I belong to myself, Landry!” Evangeline hissed at him. “You can not command me like I was your pet!” “Then prepare